Cotter group

Professor Thomas Cotter

About the Cotter Research Group

The Cotter tumour biology research group

The main research focus in the Cotter Laboratory is in understanding the role of cell signaling pathways, in particular those that are redox regulated and active, in tumour cell survival and in degenerative conditions of the retina. The role of reactive oxygen species such as hydrogen peroxide has undergone a renaissance in the last decade with this molecule shown to be acting as both a driver of cell death (at high concentrations) but also more significantly as a specific activator of cell survival pathways at lower concentrations.  In the case of several tumours both leukaemia and colon we see an increase in ROS production on oncogene activation. From multiphoton microscopy this increase appears to be localised to the ER and is produced by activation of one member of the NADPH Oxidase (Nox) family of enzymes. This in turn activates the Akt/PI3k pathway by the inhibition of one of several negatively regulating phosphatases. The result is a stronger tumour cell survival signal which aids tumour development and hinder chemotherapeutic treatments. In the retina our focus is on the development of neuroprotective agents for the treatment of degenerative conditions of the retina in particular retinitis pigmentosa and related diseases.

Funding (€2m+) to support for our laboratory research work comes from the following agencies; Science Foundation Ireland, Irish Cancer Society, Health Research Board of Ireland and The Children’s Leukaemia Research project.

Professor Cotter has supervised 35 PhD students plus 8 MD, 3 MSc. students and published over 200 papers in addition to editing several books and monographs. His laboratory (9 scientists) is funded from a variety of sources. His published work has been cited more than 11,000 times. Eight of his publications are ‘citation classics’ (300+ citations each). H Index 53.